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Delayed Reaction (#214 Engagement)
Don knew the mess would be spectacular when everything came out. Robin was on the first flight to a fancy New York law firm career. His team gave him weird looks for three weeks. His father didn’t speak to him for a month. His brother didn’t speak to him for two. Worse, Charlie didn’t speak to Larry for two months. Amita had to pass messages between them like they were children.
Finally, one day, Charlie stomped into Larry’s minimalist office. Don was having lunch and trying to tempt Larry with a sushi roll that had the rice on the outside and was therefore white.
Charlie looked at Don. “Why?” Charlie asked firmly.
Don shrugged. “I went looking for God.”
Charlie gave a snort then turned to Larry and pointed at Don. “You better not be playing with him, Larry.” Charlie’s voice was cold.
“Charles I assure you I am fully committed and intend no harm towards Donald and am willing to guarantee my fidelity in any manner appropriate be it legal or spiritual if he so wishes.” Larry stated firmly.
Charlie gave a sharp nod and walked out. It took Don five minutes to realize he’d just been proposed to.
Message in the Sand (#215 Ceremony)
Don took long months deciding on an answer. Larry did not push and Don kept his own counsel.
Then a case kept Don awake for three days straight. Afterward he found himself unable sleep, nightmares of dead children haunting him. Don put his head in Larry’s lap and Larry spoke of the heavens until the nightmares were chased away with starlight.
In the morning Don found an inclusive, liberal, progressive temple willing to do the ceremony. Don snuck into Larry’s office and wrote a message in the sand of Larry’s rock garden.
‘How about a June wedding?’ It said.
On the day the place was hardly filled. Charlie and his Dad, David, Colby, Liz and Nikki plus Amita, some CalSci staff and a few friends from the monastery.
It wasn’t precisely how Don pictured his wedding but then he’d always figured his wedding would be a grand affair mainly planned by the bride, whomever she might be, and his father, with Don having very little input.
Don and Larry had planed everything in the end. With a checklist Don stole from a magazine in his dentist’s office, they had made sure everything reflected their relationship, quite, simple, uncomplicated, and peaceful.
Be Happy (#216 Reception)
Charlie had volunteered his backyard for the reception. The banquet table was wonderfully monochromatic even though Don had gotten Larry into a daily dose of green food; often seaweed and occasionally peas.
The cake was simply frosted in pure white and covered in sugar crystals making it look like fresh snow on a cold morning.
Someone replaced half of the cake topper with a toy astronaut.
The guests got tipsy on a bubbling white wine from a little vineyard Don and Larry had snuck away to once early on.
There was no set order of events. People spoke when they wanted to, danced when they wanted to, ate and drank when the mood took them.
When Charlie spoke he apologized but had been sure Larry was reverting to his Princeton playboy ways and would only hurt Don. Don was reasonably sure that worry was supposed to go the other way. Didn’t years as the male slut of the FBI count for anything?
David announced that Matt Li had taken the extreme long shot and won a fortune in the Don Eppes matrimonial pool.
Alan didn’t speak but simply hugged first Don then Larry and told them both to be happy.
NGC 1435 (#217 Honeymoon)
Hawaii was an easy choice. Surfing beaches for Don and for Larry grand observatories willing to give them access.
In between the sea and the stars they could get silly on dulce de leche and tumble into bed.
Don lay on his back next to a telescope that could see to the edge of the galaxy. Through the opening in the ceiling Don enjoyed the scrap of clear sky showing him a sliver of the Milky Way with a million more stars than he ever saw in the totality of the LA sky.
The floor began to turn. The giant telescope rose up.
“Come look at this, Donald.” Larry beckoned once everything was in place.
Don looked through the little eye piece that seemed silly connected to such a large machine. If Megan had been the M57 nebula Don was the NGC 1435 reflecting nebula. Larry had never been able to explain why. Don simply took it as the compliment he was sure it was.
“It’s the blue fuzzy one in the middle, right?” Don asked.
“Yes.” Don, could hear Larry’s smile. “It’s blue partly because the Pleiades around it are galacticlly young and they still burn hot and bright.”
Simple Peace (#218 Husband)
Don came home and threw his keys into the bowl with more force than was strictly necessary. He stopped and took a breath. He tried not to do this, tried not to bring the anger home to Larry. Not that Larry would do anything other than try to soothe it away but that was one of the things he promised Larry, that he would try to leave the office at the office. It seldom worked but he tried.
Don followed soft jazz and pleasant smells into the kitchen that was half laboratory.
Larry’s bare feet danced lightly on the kitchen floor as Larry fussed over spicy Thai coconut soup.
“Smells good.” Don said.
“It is nearly done.” Larry replied holding out a spoon for Don to taste.
Don blew on it and took a sip. “Perfect.”
Larry smiled and went back to the soup. Don watched and felt the last of the day’s anger slide away. He slid behind Larry, wrapped his arms around him, and kissed his neck.
This was what Don loved about his husband that people didn’t understand. Larry only had to do the simplest thing or just be in his presence for Don to feel peace.